Harry Potter and the Elixer of Death
by Egg-chan
Summary: This story is set after the second book, there will be love triangles, trouble with friends and enemies, and of course, a secret lurking in the darkness. Please R&R~! Note: There *will* be SLASH! DON'T READ IT IF YOU DON'T LIKE BOY/BOY RELATIONSHIPS!
1. The Creature

Notes: I wanted to do my own version of the third book.. ^^; why? Because I can!  
  
Disclaimer: None of this belongs to me.. (sadly)  
  
  
  
Its brown, glowing eyes were beady and round. It stared at Harry, cocking its head every so often. Casting a light spell cautiously, Harry was able to see its features in the dim, green light his wand produced.  
  
Hiding behind a splintered barrel, a little creature about the size of a cat squinted at Harry through the strong rays of light. On all four paws, the brute had a round face, with tufts of hair in its eyes, and ears like that of a pig. It's tail was at least 3 feet long, it curled and twisted around itself. On its hind legs, a patch of speckled black dots was visible on its orange colored coat. Its eyes glinted in the olive color the wand created, and its mouth was stretched over its entire face, giving it a silly, mindless look, as if it had dozed off with it's eyes completely open.  
  
Harry cooed, luring it towards himself. The tiny animal padded slowly towards Harry, then stopped. Harry stretched out his hand, "It's alright, I'm not going to hurt you," holding his arm out as far as he dared.  
  
Taking a cautious step forward, it lurched to a stop, spun around and leaped behind the boxes strewn around the Gryffindor storage room as if it had seen something frightening.  
  
"No wait--!" Harry called out, but it was too late. Cursing himself under his breath for letting whatever it was get away, he stumbled out into the Gryffindor common room and collapsed into a chair in front of the hearth. He stared blankly into the blazing fire, concentrating on what it was he just saw while other Gryffindors were around him doing their homework, or playing games. In fact, he was so deep in thought, he hadn't noticed Ron and Hermione sit down in the seats next to him.  
  
"Harry! We've been waiting for you to get out of that storage room for what seemed like forever!" Hermione said, breaking Harry out of his spell. Hermione looked especially beautiful that evening, Harry thought. She had no make-up on, how he preferred girls, and her incredible brown eyes glinted in the light of the fire. Harry caught his breath, speechless.  
  
"Maybe he's been petrified," Ron teased, and immediately found a pillow shoved in his face.  
  
"If it weren't for me, Hogwarts would be closed right now!" Hermione fumed, "And you'd better be thankful that I was only petrified, I could've died, you know!"  
  
Just then, Neville Longbottom and Malyna Fifield, a first year, walked up to the three. Malyna, a smart, freckle faced girl, pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose and looked happily around her surroundings. Her auburn bangs brushed against her long eyelashes, and her shoulder length hair was tied back into a messy bun. Hermione looked at her disapprovingly through wrinkled brows. It had only been the first two weeks of their third year at Hogwarts, and already Malyna had greatly surpassed Hermione at everything she was known for being the best at, and Malyna was beginning to take the title as 'Smartest Witch in Hogwarts'.  
  
Malyna spoke in a soft, yet confident voice, "I was just wondering, Harry, if you had found the old lumirus yet?" Finding the strange creature in the storage room had made Harry completely forget why he had gone in there in the first place.  
  
Harry jumped up, "Oh! I'm sorry, it must have slipped my mind! I'll go look for it." He turned to his friends, Hermione and Ron, "help me, will you?" and the three of them filed into the small room in the corner of the common room.  
  
Harry and the others began to rummage through the boxes. "What exactly am I looking for?" Ron asked.  
  
Hermione sighed and replied haughtily, "A lumirus. They look like feather dusters, and are used to clean up big messes. 'Florendo Repair' is what's used to--" she was interrupted by Harry hushing her.  
  
"Be very quiet," he whispered, "come over here and look at this." Hermione and Ron walked slowly towards the darkness Harry was standing in. Illuminated by the moon's dull light from the small window, the strange creature stood in a clearing of the boxes. Ron's eyes widened in amazement, and Hermione's mouth dropped. "I have no idea what it is," Harry continued quietly, "but I found it while I was looking in here earlier."  
  
Suddenly, Ron pounced over the boxes onto the creature and grabbed it around the middle. "Ron what are you doing?!" Hermione called out, while the thing hissed and howled at Ron, trying to wriggle out of his grasp. Harry clambered over the boxes and got a hold of the creature's head. Hermione scratched in the darkness, and pulled up a rusty cage. She pulled off the top and Ron and Harry heaved it over to the cage. The creature opened its mouth, seeming to leave a gaping hole in its head and let out an ear-piercing screech. A great wave of wind ripped Ron from the creature's torso and he crashed into the boxes behind him. With a loud slam, the cage was closed and locked.  
  
Ron stood up dazed and raised his hand, which was clutching a small duster, "I think I found what we were looking for," he said, meekly.  
  
The strange thing turned out to be very affectionate, as Harry gained its trust through its cage. He fed it leftovers from meals in the great hall, and had it keep him company while he studied. Eventually, he was able to let it out of the cage, and it would curl up on his lap, or rub up against him affectionately like a cat. Its beady brown eyes were always staring straight at Harry's face, which made him a bit uncomfortable. The creature detested Ron for tackling it, and it would hiss and snap its jaws at the redhead whenever he got close to it. Ron didn't seem to fancy the thing too much either.  
  
A couple months passed and the first snowflakes of winter began to fall. As usual, Ron and Harry struggled with grades and had study sessions regularly with Hermione. Professor Snape had been giving Harry a hard time because he was dozing off in class, daydreaming about Hermione warming him up with an affectionate hug in the freezing dungeon the Potions class was held in. He had been given extra homework to make up for the daydreaming and along with the other homework he had, Harry Potter felt utterly and completely swamped and stressed out. He had been getting little sleep, along with Ron who was falling behind in classes because his broken wand was turning goblets into mushy piles of metal and backfiring on him most of the time.  
  
Their new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Noakes, was a short man who fumbled nervously around his things, dropping papers and spilling liquids, which created large explosions. He squinted through his crescent shaped glasses and called everyone by the wrong name, but some just thought it was the first year jitters. Professor Noakes was teased by most of the students, who nicknamed him, 'Noakes the Nut', but most of the teasing was from the students from Slytherin, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, and a new first year named Zachary Iverson. Harry felt sorry for Professor Noakes, but let his classmates continue to snigger at him when he tripped over his own feet.  
  
"I still don't understand the difference between a Gamberry nut and a Bonaberry nut," Ron moaned. Harry and Ron were at a study session with Hermione in the library one day, the afternoon sun shining brightly through the tall windows. Harry lifted the cage of the creature he'd found 2 months earlier onto the mahogany table. Ron jerked his eyes at Harry questioningly, "There's no way in hell you're letting that thing out while I'm here."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Why not? WHY NOT?! I've gotten a sprained wrist, and my eardrums have practically burst because that thing keeps squealing at me and tossing me around!" Ron cried, the creature backed into a corner, growling loudly at Ron.  
  
"Oh, it'll be alright, Ron," Harry reassured the redhead, "it likes me, I'll just keep it on my lap."  
  
"Are you sure?" Ron whimpered.  
  
"I'm positive. I let it sleep with me at night. I trust it completely." He lifted open the cage and Ron cringed while the creature was lifted into Harry's lap, all the while glaring at Ron through glazed over eyes. Ron shivered and drew a deep breath before going back to his textbook.  
  
"Haven't you named it yet, Harry?" Hermione asked, pulling herself away from her own studying.  
  
Harry stroked the animals fur, deep in thought, "Edbert," he said aloud, "I'll call him Edbert."  
  
  
  
End Chapter 1  
  
Hope you all enjoyed it! 


	2. The Unforgotten Quiddich Match

Edbert became very close to Harry. In fact, Hedwig thought it was too close. She was jealous and wanted some attention. She would rattle at her cage and squawk at nauseatingly high pitches to be let out of her cage, free to fly in the world outside. Harry never paid attention to her anymore, he would sit at the table in the common room doing homework, hearing faint clanging of metal and screeches coming from his room, but he was too transfixed with Edbert to pull himself away and open her cage. Hedwig longed for care of some sort.  
  
One night, Hedwig rattled on the cage so loud, it woke half the boys dormitory. Ron sat up, puffy eyed and sleep deprived when the other shaken boys came into their room. Neville kept snoring.  
  
"What's going on, Harry?" one Gryffindor student said. "Why don't you let out your bird, it's been crying for weeks."  
  
"Come on, Harry, let Hedwig out. She must be lonely," Ron said. Harry pat Edbert on the head and finally opened Hedwig's cage. Hedwig dashed through the moonlit room and out the window beside Harry's bed, leaving a flutter of feathers and the cold wind behind her. The students funneled out of the room, some muttering, "That bird has been keeping me up for days," and others, "What's gotten into Harry?" Harry pulled his sheets over himself and Edbert, hugging the animal tightly. Harry shivered as his cold, naked chest began to heat up from Edbert's soft coat, and both fell into a deep slumber.  
  
Harry woke with a bump the next morning, the early sun streaming through his windowpane. He looked down at his arms, appearing as if they were hugging air. Edbert had left again, which is what it did every morning. Harry assumed it was to search for some breakfast, because Edbert never seemed hungry anymore. It had to have been getting its food somewhere.  
  
Lying on the bed allowed Harry to lose himself in deep thought about Hedwig and Edbert. He felt bad he had been neglecting Hedwig for so long, but there was something about his newfound animal that puzzled him. It was almost as if Edbert was human. It would listen to Harry tell about his love for Hermione, and the strange little thing seemed as if it was frowning. He would tell Edbert his deepest secrets, how he loathed the Dursley's and what he hated about Professor Snape, because he felt like it was listening to him. That's all he ever wanted, no one to snap back at him some comment about what he did wrong, or what he should do to fix it. He just wanted someone or something to listen to him quietly. In fact, Edbert was too quiet. It was eerily quiet. When Harry would begin to tell it something, it would sit and stare at him with its round eyes, ears perked tentatively. But something was drawing him to Edbert, and he didn't know what. A wave of nausea deep in his stomach came over him, thinking that he had betrayed his best friend, Hedwig.  
  
A bed squeaked across from Harry's, pulling him back to reality. He turned to face Ron pulling off his pajama bottoms revealing his candy cane decorated boxers underneath. Harry watched intently as he stumbled on one foot trying to get his pants on.  
  
"He's beautiful," Harry thought, staring at Ron's flushed face, who was still attempting to pull his pants to his waist. His red hair was messy and matted from a restless night's sleep. Losing his balance, Ron finally fell onto his bed, tired and gasping for air.  
  
"I tell you, these hand me down robes have never fit me quite right," Ron panted. Harry realized he was caught gazing at Ron and quickly averted his eyes.  
  
"What's wrong with me? Why am I thinking these things?" Harry thought to himself.  
  
"Hey, don't you have a Quiddich match today?" Ron asked pulling off his pajama top to reveal his pasty white torso.  
  
Harry sat straight up. "Oh my God! The Quiddich match! I totally forgot! And we're against Slytherin today! Wood's gonna kill me!" he threw off the covers of his bed and pulled on his clothes as fast as he could, cursing at himself for letting it slip his mind.  
  
When he finally reached the Quiddich pitch, Oliver Wood had already finished his pep talk to the Gryffindor team players. "Harry! Someone's a little late, eh?" Wood said in a tone that said, "It better not happen again". They got out into the playing field, fellow Gryffindors filling the stadium with cheers and hoots, the Slytherins booing and hissing. Harry kicked off the ground and hovered in a line with his teammates just in front of the other team, face to face with Draco Malfoy.  
  
Draco sneered, "I heard you came late today. Almost missed the game," he grinned, "You almost made your team forfeit. That would have been a shame!" he said laughing sarcastically. "I like it better this way, anyway. Now I can kick your ass, Potter, and the whole school can watch me."  
  
Harry ground his teeth together, "Lay off, Malfoy I'm not in the mood."  
  
"What's that? Couldn't get here because you had that nasty little mudblood stuck on your mind?" Draco grinned, as the other Slytherin team members sniggered. Harry felt his face go red.  
  
"I said, lay off, Malfoy," He repeated.  
  
Draco hissed out a snide laugh, "too bad your stupid cousin Dudley isn't here to make fun of you. I'd die to see that." Realizing what he had just said, Draco's face went completely pale, and his cheeks turned red like fire. He sat on his broomstick stiff like a statue, without moving. In fact, it looked to Harry as though he had entirely stopped breathing. The color in Draco's face seemed to return to normal when Madame Hooch entered the stadium. She stood directly beneath them and began the game by throwing the quaffle high into the air.  
  
Harry drifted in the air on his Nimbus 2000, dazed and confused about what Draco had said earlier. How did he know that his cousin's name was Dudley? And more importantly, how did he know that he had a cousin in the first place? His thoughts were soon brought to a halt when the golden snitch appeared right in his face, darting around as if to tease him. Harry swung his arm around like he was trying to swat a fly. The snitch soared to his right, and Harry swooped after it, stretching out his free arm. To his left, he noticed Draco had spotted the snitch also, and dived down towards it. Harry was determined to get the snitch, pushing himself as far as he could.  
  
Then suddenly, like lightning, a bludger shot straight into his side sending Harry careening into the stand beside him. Wood splintered, and Harry came to a stop when his broom got wedged in between two supporting boards almost jerking him off his broom. Pain seared through his body, his side burning and aching from the crash. Despite the sting, determination flared in Harry's eyes, and he tugged his broom out and flew into the stadium where a loud cheer awaited him. He caught sight of Draco helplessly flailing his free arm at the golden snitch, which was gleaming in the sunlight. Harry shot like a bullet straight to the snitch, taking Draco by surprise and he staggered off to the side. Harry heard a group of kids scream and out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Draco had fallen helplessly into a stand filled with students.  
  
Harry spun around a stand and headed straight towards the snitch, stretching his arm so far out he almost stumbled over his own broomstick. And suddenly, he felt the snitch inside his hand. He grasped it tightly and swooped down towards the middle of the arena, holding it high above his head triumphantly. He had caught the snitch in the air, like it was from a dream. His side still ached in pain, but the cheer from the crowd drowned out all the throbbing.  
  
Looking around at the other players, Harry was expecting to see Draco snarling under his breath, but instead, he saw the same, paranoid face he had seen before the game. 


	3. A Sleepless Night

Madame Pomfrey shuffled about the hospital room, keeping visitors out, and taking care of Harry's wounds from the crash during the Quiddich game. Harry suffered from scratches and bruises on his face, side, and legs. One that was especially bad was a large gash on his side near his rib cage. It bled for quite some time before he had gotten to the hospital wing, where Madame Pomfrey waved her wand instantly stopping the flow of blood, but leaving a nasty wound.  
  
Harry stared silently out of the windows above, watching the white puffy clouds pass by, until a loud clanging and hinges squeaking indicated someone was entering the room.  
  
"These scrapes are stinging!" a male voice yelled out, on the verge of crying. Harry sat up, wincing at his side, and looked into the corridor that led to the door of the hospital. Slowly, being carried on a stretcher, Draco Malfoy was lugged into the room by three other Slytherin team members. His eyes were red and puffy from crying, and he was holding his right cheek, trying to keep it from bleeding. Harry could see between his fingers, two large slashes under his eye.  
  
They placed Draco on the bed to the right of Harry's, the blonde finally noticing that his enemy was lying right beside him. His eyes widened and he turned over to face the wall, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "If you think I've been crying, I haven't." He mumbled as a teardrop soaked into his pillow.  
  
Harry and Draco lay in silence for a while, Draco's back still turned towards Harry's. Every so often he could hear a sniffle or a whimper, and deep down, Harry felt bad for Draco. The sun began to set, and Harry was becoming impatient, wanting to leave and see his friends. The room glowed an orange-red color and Madame Pomfrey finally entered the large and jam- packed hospital room. Apparently there had been a large explosion in the Potions class, inevitably created by Neville, and all the beds were filled with students who had been near the blast. One of these students was Ginny Weasley, who waved to Harry with her unhurt arm from across the room in another bed.  
  
Madame Pomfrey bowed to Harry and Draco politely, "'Evening," she said, "I think it's best you both spend the night here, I'd like to watch those wounds of yours."  
  
Harry's stomach lurched, and he could see that Draco felt the same way by the expression that had come over his face.  
  
"Sleep... by Harry??" Draco squeaked, "That's ludicrous! I can't beleive you even suggested that!" his eyes darted around the room, "Can't you put me in another bed?"  
  
Madame Pomfrey pursed her lips and loomed over Draco. "I'm sorry, but as you can see I'm kind of tied up with other students to waste my time and move all your supplies over to another bed, so if you will please just stay in that one, I would greatly appreciate it!" Her voice pitched at an unbeleivably high note, and she stomped off to help the other wounded.  
  
Harry chuckled softly. Draco had been yelled at right in front of him, and he didn't have to do a single thing to provoke it. He had been waiting for that almost as long as he'd known Draco.  
  
"What're you laughing at, Potter?" Draco frowned, showing his discontentment. "If Madame Pomfrey wasn't here, you'd be dead meat. You hear me?" Harry nodded and rolled his eyes, slumping over onto his pillow.  
  
Hours passed and Harry sat face up on his pillow, restless. It was now almost completely dark except for the slight flicker and glow of a candle coming from Madame Pomfrey's room. Harry had no idea what time it was, but guessed it was midnight. He heard a small squeak of bedsprings, and footsteps. Where the noise was coming from, he wasn't sure. Harry assumed the person was getting up to go to the bathroom. He stared up into the darkness of the ceiling, trying to keep the pain in his side out of his mind.  
  
Suddenly he felt something warm touch his lips. It wasn't a hand, but what felt to him like lips. Shocked, he tried to move away, but the person held him down firmly. The stranger kissed him tenderly for what seemed like forever, then finally pulled away, steadying their breathing. Then he heard footsteps retreat from his bed and fade off into the distance.  
  
Harry lay on his bed, stunned at the incident that just occurred. He couldn't even think straight. His lips tingled, and he moved his fingers to them, touching them slightly. He lay for what seemed like hours in awe, confusion, and he felt strangely hurt. It was his first kiss, and he didn't even know who it was. He had no control of it. His first kiss was stolen from him without him knowing it. Yet, he felt tingly inside and his heart beat so loud in his chest he thought he'd wake the whole room. Had he liked it? Being kissed by a total stranger? -Or possibly, it wasn't a stranger at all. He had heard the bed creak, so it must have been someone in the room.  
  
Then it hit him. "Ginny," he said softly. His chest hurt painfully, and he moaned sadly. "No, Ginny how could she?" Harry thought, "Yes it must have been her. I felt a lock of hair brush against my face". Everyone in the whole school knew she had a crush. No, not a crush, she was utterly in love with him. She blushed, and stuttered, and tripped over herself whenever he was in the same room with him. A swelling of hatred filled Harry's body. "How could she? How dare she?"  
  
But then his mind wandered to the other thought drifting through his head. He had liked it. But Ginny, she was Ron's little sister. Harry would never do something like that. Why was he blushing so madly? His cheeks felt as if they were on fire, and he placed his icy hands on his face to cool them.  
  
Harry heard the deep breathing of his classmates who had fallen asleep much earlier than he had. Maybe Ginny had thought he was asleep? Thinking all the possibilities over, Harry had failed to notice that he had totally forgotten about how his side hurt, and he drifted off to sleep soon after.  
  
Hermione and Ron woke Harry the next morning, Ron carrying Harry's and his own heavy load of books.  
  
Hermione patted Harry on the shoulder. "Are you alright?" she asked, "we've got to be getting to breakfast soon."  
  
Ron, panting and gasping for breath dropped the books on Harry's bed, letting them topple over into a heap. Directly behind Ron, Harry noticed Ginny staring deeply at him, and Harry blushed, the tips of his ears getting red. "Hey Harry, we've got to get going." Ron repeated. "Are you alright? You look kind of red."  
  
Harry shot Ron an awkward glance. Soon after he was dressed and heading out into the dining hall with his friends. 


	4. Kiss

At the breakfast table, Harry sat with Hermione and Ron, picking at his eggs and toast unable to think of anything but the night before. He was shaking with anger so much that he could hardly keep hold of his knife. Ron looked at Harry and opened his mouth to talk, but just then the flutter of wings filled the room and owls poured in from the windows with satchels attached to their legs and letters clasped in their beaks.  
  
Errol swooped down, wobbling in the air a few times before coming to a stop on its face in Harry's uneaten eggs, and lay motionless.  
  
"Oh great. Embarrass me again, why don't you," Ron heaved, "stupid bird. Sorry about your breakfast, Harry," Ron tugged a note from Errol's beak and read it carefully.  
  
The birds began to fly in at a much slower rate, and then stopped completley. Hermione noticed Hedwig was no where to be found and asked Harry if he'd seen her. "Oh, I'm sure she just wanted to stay out. She'll be back for sure in two days." Even Ron noticed the uneasy waver in Harry's voice.  
  
"It must be time for Transfiguration class," Harry said quickly, changing the subject. Along with other students who were filing out of the dining hall, the three walked swiftly to their first class.  
  
"Today is the day we turn spoons into goblets," Professor McGonagall stood at the head of the class, all students facing towards her with metal spoons laid carefully in front of them on their desks. She turned toward her desk, a metal spoon lying on it like the students' own. She raised her wand into the air and said sharply, "Fertha Verto!" and flicked her wrist towards the spoon.  
  
The spoon seemed as if it had melted on the spot, and then suddenly, it molded itself into a perfect goblet. It shone briskly in the morning light, and everyone applauded. "Now," McGonagall started, "I'd like all of you to try that with your own spoon. Remember, 'Fertha Verto!'"  
  
Harry turned to his spoon lying on the wood desk just in front of him. Still in a state of shock and fury, he raised his wand and said loudly, "Fertha Verto!" swinging his wand down. The spoon melted instantly, then turned itself, to Harry's surprize, into half a goblet and half a spoon.  
  
Ron peered over at the distorted mess and scrunched his nose up, while other kids came to look at what Harry had accidentally created. Ron held up his mush of metal, "It's ok, I'm having trouble too. Here, let me help you fix it." Absentmindedly, Ron flicked his wand, and immediately it exploded into a thousand tiny pieces that scattered about the room.  
  
Professor McGonagall strolled up to Harry's desk. "This is something you want to avoid at all costs," she pointed at Ron's mended wand angrily. She shot her head up and all students looked in the direction she was peering. Pushing her way through the crowd, she stopped to the right of Draco Malfoy's desk and picked up a goblet that looked similar to what Harry had done. "This is also a poor example of paying attention in class," she said, placing the goblet down. Draco frowned at her, pushing his eyebrows close together.  
  
For the rest of the day, Harry wasn't able to concentrate, and it was showing in his schoolwork. In Potions class, he had mixed the wrong ingredients and ended up with a purple, bubbling potion, that's smell turned the whole class orange for the rest of the day. In Defense against the Dark Arts, they learned how to defend themselves from Grounders (small gofer type creatures that attack you from the ground) and Harry could not freeze them in ice for the life of him. All he wanted to do was talk to Ginny about what she had done, and Ron noticed something was up.  
  
"Something bothering you, Harry?" Ron asked in Herbology while Professor Sprout lectured the class.  
  
Harry paused, then shook his head.  
  
After all their classes were over, Ron and Harry sat in the Gryffindor Common room playing Wizards Chess. Ron was beating Harry of course, but Harry still enjoyed himself.  
  
Ginny walked cautiously towards her brother and crush, "Um.... may I - I play?" she said sheepishly. Ron shook his head.  
  
"No way, we're in the middle of a game-"  
  
"Ron?" Harry asked, "Would you mind if she played for a little? I'd like to talk to her about something." Looking disappointed, Ron sulked off to Fred and George who were drawing with markers on Percy's face, fast asleep in front of the hearth.  
  
Ginny sat down across from Harry, looking frightened as usual. Harry opened his mouth about to speak, but then remembered. With him thinking about the incident and how he wanted to talk to Ginny, he hadn't thought about what he was going to say. "Um..." Harry thought aloud, "Well, you see, Ginny." She stared at him dreamily, making him lose his train of thought. "About last night..."  
  
"What about it?" she asked, listening closely.  
  
"Well.... I don't know what you were thinking, but you could have asked me before you did it."  
  
Ginny cocked her head to the side, peering queerly at Harry, "What do you mean? I should have asked you before Neville's flask in Potions class cut me up? Harry, I don't think I could have-"  
  
"No, no. Not that," Harry said, frustrated. "I mean... what you did in the middle of the night." He leaned in closer and quieted his speech. Ginny looked confused as ever.  
  
"What did I do? I was sleeping the whole time."  
  
Harry sighed, "Ginny, I don't want to have to spell it out to you. I know you did it. You know," he looked around to make sure no one was listening and whispered, "the - the kiss."  
  
Ginny looked horrified.  
  
"All I want to know is why you did it," Harry continued.  
  
Her cheeks reddened and eyes widened. She blinked tears from her eyes, and suddenly burst from her chair, running to the girls' dormitory.  
  
Ron excitedly walked over to the table and sat down, "Hey, Harry! Guess what?" Harry's attention swerved towards Ron. "We're all staying for the Christmas break! My parents said that they were going to be out of town, so we're going to stay here with you!"  
  
Harry smiled, but deep down knew sadly that Ginny had stolen his first kiss. 


	5. Alone

Christmas break came faster than Harry imagined. Hermione had her things packed days early, but felt badly that she was leaving the two.  
  
"I really am sorry," she apologized for the twelfth time.  
  
"Don't worry about it," they would reply.  
  
Most of the students left for Christmas vacation, which was a pity, Harry thought, because they wouldn't be able to see the magnificent decorations in the castle. Unfortunately, Hedwig hadn't shown up for about a week and Harry was getting nervous. Sometimes he would sit by the windowsill and stare at the blinding white snow outside, hoping for a glimpse of hope. Ron would sit next to him and try to comfort him, while Scabbers rummaged around in his pocket, which didn't make Harry feel any better.  
  
One evening in the deafeningly quiet Gryffindor Common room, Harry and Ron sat down to a game of Wizards Chess. Edbert had arrived just before the break started, and had been with Harry ever since. He was curled up on his lap snoozing loudly. Ron had a look of deep concentration on his face, trying to figure out what to move next.  
  
"I miss Hermione, don't you?" Harry asked, trying to start a conversation. Lately all he'd been able to think about was her beautiful eyes.  
  
Ron jerked his head up and looked at Harry, "Uh... yeah.. I miss her a lot," he said, trying to avoid the question.  
  
The game continued quietly for about five minutes, and then suddenly;  
  
"Harry?"  
  
"Yes?" Harry asked, without looking up.  
  
"Can I - tell you a secret?" Ron asked, and Harry looked at him. "It's a - a really big secret. I have to know you'll keep it."  
  
Harry nodded, eager to know what it was, "you know you can trust me, Ron."  
  
Ron paused, "Well... I think - I think I'm starting to get feelings for Hermione. Real feelings, and-and Harry?" he looked worried, "I think I'm starting to-fall in love with her."  
  
Harry felt his mouth go dry and he tried not to show the alarm in his face. "W-what?" he stuttered.  
  
"I'm falling in love with Hermione, Harry, and I don't know how to stop it!" Ron had a sound of terror in his voice, "I need help Harry! Help me...." he trailed off into a fit of sobs and Harry didn't have a clue what to do.  
  
"If it makes you feel any better.... I've fallen for her too."  
  
Ron stopped crying and raised his head. A look of pure hatred swept over his face. "No," he started, "no, Harry. Girls are practically flocking to you. You could have any girl you want in this whole fucking school! No one has ever loved me before! Can't you leave Hermione for me?? God, you can be so damn selfish sometimes! I HATE YOU!" he stomped off to his dorm room, and Edbert leapt from Harry's lap and pursued Ron to his room.  
  
Harry was in an utter state of shock. Even Ginny's kiss hadn't scared him this much. He trembled in fear, and cleaned up the chess set nervously. He decided it would be better to sleep on the couch that night.  
  
During the most of the vacation, Harry spent time with Fred and George, who were no fun to be around. All they wanted to do was play practical jokes on Mrs. Norris, which to Harry wasn't as amusing as they thought. Percy was taking all the time he had to spend time with his girlfriend, and whenever he tried to do something with Ginny, it would be too awkward, so they would end up silent in the dining hall staring at the walls. Ron tried to stay far away from Harry, and Harry thought it best to let him be and get it off his chest by himself.  
  
Spending all the time away from Ron, though made all the feelings and thoughts Harry had towards him bubble up to his brain, which he had buried deep down inside of himself quite a while ago. He knew now what the saying, 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder' meant. His heart ached and he pined for Ron to start speaking to him again. God, just to touch him once would make him happy.  
  
Harry pulled the covers up over himself and tried to sleep to another silent goodnight, but his mind filled him with images of Ron. Harry cried himself to sleep that night.  
  
He found himself lying awake on the hospital bed once more, the room completely dark. Confused, Harry tried to sit up, but found the same, soft and moist lips against his.  
  
"What's going on??" Harry thought to himself, as the stranger stopped kissing. But this time, moonlight suddenly shone brightly through the windows illuminating a face very similar to one he knew and loved.  
  
It was Ron's. The red head bent over and put his lips close to Harry's ear and whispered, "Harry, I've wanted you for a long time now. I couldn't wait any longer."  
  
Harry's eyes built up with tears and he nodded, "I've loved you for a long time too." Ron straddled Harry and began to kiss him slowly and tenderly. Harry moaned softly, and their kissing increased. "Oh, Ron," he said slowly, "Ron! Ron!-"  
  
"RON!!!!" Harry sat straight up in his bed throwing the covers off himself. Ron awoke with a start and dashed over to Harry's bed.  
  
"Harry, are you ok? What's going on?"  
  
Harry looked at Ron carefully, "No. Ron I'm not ok." 'Carpe Diem' he thought to himself.  
  
Harry leaned in towards Ron and embraced him in a powerful kiss. 


End file.
